Sochi 2014: Two Trials for Russia

... attempted to maximize their hosting of the Olympics in terms of international image, prestige, tourism dollars, and long-term investments into infrastructure - but never were forced to confront the types of issues that Russia was forced to consider. The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics represents an inflection point for Russia, a test of how the nation handles many challenges both domestically and abroad. The Olympic Games will test the ability of the leaders of the country and its citizens to provide adequate answers to these challenges. Of course, the primary challenge is related to the prestige, image and global reputation of Russia. There is hardly a country ...